As Brisbane Airport prepares for a $5billion revamp, FCM Travel has announced a significant increase in international travel bookings from Brisbane, along with a notable decrease in airfare costs.
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New corporate booking data reveals a 38 per cent rise in international outbound bookings and a more than 50 per cent jump in inbound bookings during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Accompanying this surge is a drop in international airfare prices. Economy tickets from Brisbane have fallen by 13 per cent, while business class fares are down 5 per cent in the same timeframe.
FCM Travel General Manager ANZ, Renos Rologas, said the rise in bookings and lower fares is a positive sign for Brisbane’s economy, but stressed the need for more seat capacity.
“Brisbane’s international airline seat capacity is at 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, slightly behind the Australian average of 96 per cent, he said.
“I have no doubt this trend will encourage carriers to add more flights and routes, providing travellers with more choice and better fares.”
Certain destinations have seen significant fare reductions, including San Francisco, Dubai, Paris, Rome, and Auckland, with savings of up to 26 per cent on economy tickets. Though flights to Port Moresby have increased in price due to high demand, particularly among corporate travellers.
The top international destinations for FCM Travel customers departing from Brisbane in early 2024 included Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
“Brisbane’s economy has shown resilience post-pandemic, and as businesses regain confidence in international markets, we’re committed to connecting travellers globally,” Rologas added.
According to Oxford Economics, Brisbane’s economy is expected to grow by 24 per cent from 2024 to 2032, outperforming most other cities in the Asia-Pacific region.
FCM Travel is the large-market corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group,
